


Tangled

by omika



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Angst, Cheating, F/F, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, No beta we die like mne, Not Really A Happy Ending, Sarada and boruto bond over absent gay fathers, Sarada’s Perspective, Unrequited Love, hinata hima ino and sai are only mentioned, ooc maybe bc ive never seen boruto lol, sakura sasuke and naruto all need therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26891812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omika/pseuds/omika
Summary: Sarada Uchiha is not stupid.She knows that there is something very wrong about her family, even if she can’t put her finger on it. Even if her parents refused to say so.There’s something missing.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Sai/Yamanaka Ino, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Tangled

Sarada Uchiha is not an idiot.

  
Her eyesight varies from piss poor to immaculate, but she doesn’t need to see to know that there’s something strange about her father’s relationship with the Hokage. _Childhood friends_ , the Hokage would explain when pressed by some brave political officials. _A pain in my ass_ , her father would murmur with a soft smile. (He never smiled around her mother. Only around Lord Hokage and Sarada herself, she noted.)

  
Despite their claims, she can see the way they look at each other. The way their hands brush against each other, the way they fight in sync as if they could read each other’s thoughts, the way their eyes sparkle as they connect. Not that anyone needed eyes to know that something was off. She could feel it, their chakra wrapping around each other instinctively.

  
What she didn’t know was why.

  
Why did they go through such lengths for each other? Why did her father ignore his family in favor of the great Hokage? Why did he look at him the same way that Shikamaru looked at Temari? The way Ino looked at Sai?

  
The confusion festered inside her and rotted like a wound.

  
It wasn’t like she could go up to her mother and ask. Sarada had some sense, after all. But the questions itched at her as she watched her parents interact. The cold way her father would give his goodbyes, poking each of them as if that explained his disappearance. Her own heart ached as she heard her mother cry in her room that same night, door locked.

  
Her team was no help at all. Konohamaru-Sensei just turned red and stuttered that it was none of his business. Mitsuki just gave her a strange, knowing look, as if he had his own suspicions about the two men. As a last resort, she asked Boruto to go on a walk with her, and led him to the top of Hokage Mountain.

  
“Boruto...do you ever wonder...are your parents happy together?” She said into the night sky, body tucked in close. He turned to her, shocked, sprawled in the grass next to her.

  
“Huh? What kind of question is that?” He tilted his head.

  
“It’s just a question, baka!” She defended. She hugged her knees closer to her chest, anxiety wrapping itself around her. “You guys always look so...so perfect.”

  
He let out a mirthless laugh. “Far from it.” He thought for a moment. “Hima and I fight constantly, just like regular siblings do. My mom nags a lot, even if it’s just because she cares.” He cleared his throat. “ _Boruto! You’re not just the son of the Hokage, but a member of the Hyuuga clan! Your disrespect reflects on me as a mother!_ ” He said in a scratchy, high-pitched impression of his mother. Sarada giggled, and he shot her a smile that made her tummy feel weird.

  
“But I know what you mean. I’m not dumb.” He continued, his smile fading. He started picking at the grass next to him, pulling up tufts of dirt. “Dad comes home late all the time...Sometimes not at all.” His usual teasing tone is gone. Sarada doesn’t remember the last time he looked so serious. “I know it’s his job and all, but you would think he’d think about his family a little bit more, you know?” Sarada wanted to screech in agreement, but the question was clearly rhetorical. “And…sometimes…I wonder if there’s someone else.” He risked a glance at her.

  
He doesn’t have to say it to know who he’s talking about.

  
“Sometimes I know he’s thinking of someone else when he looks at my mom.” He said, pained. “She looks at him like he hangs the sun in the sky, and he just looks…he looks…“ He doesn’t finish his sentence. “I know he loves her. But I don’t think he’s in love with her.”

  
Sarada is at a loss for words. She’s never heard him speak so earnestly, especially about his father. It’s now that it hits her: All the pressure Boruto is under. “Boruto, I-“

  
“But I do think they’re happy. Or they at least think they are.” He said, a fake smile plastered to his face. He blinked, remembering something. “What about you?”

  
“Huh?”

  
“What about your parents? Do you think they’re happy?” He asked, eyes trained on her. She opened her mouth to reply but quickly shut it. She wasn’t expecting him to ask her the same question.

  
“Um, well.” Where does she begin? “I think…“ She started to lie, but Boruto’s honest words haunted her and guilt drove the truth from her mouth. “No. I don’t think they are happy at all.”

  
He doesn’t start speaking again, and she realized he was waiting for her to continue. “I know my mom and dad love me. I know my mom loves my dad. But,” She swallowed. “I think he hates her.”

  
Boruto’s eyebrows raised. “What makes you think that?”

  
She chose her next words carefully. “I think he loved…someone else. Someone he couldn’t have. And he settled.” Her own words washed over her like a tidal wave, the thoughts she had kept to herself finally brought to the front. “He’s never there, too. He’s barely in Konoha most of the time, and when he is, he’s only here for a few days before disappearing again. Like he can’t stand to be here for longer than that.” She paused. Hot tears threatened to fall.

  
“That sucks.” He answered awkwardly. “But that doesn’t mean he hates her. I mean, they were on a genin team together, right? Those bonds are closer than family.” He lightly punched her shoulder, but quickly retracted when he realized what he just said. That weird feeling in her tummy returned.

  
“I guess you’re right.” She said, eyes watery and a faint blush on her cheeks. “But what you said before, about not being in love with her. I think it’s the same.” He nodded. “I just don’t understand why he would do that. Why would anyone ever be with someone they didn’t love?” Her breath quickened. “Why would he do that? Why, if it just causes everyone pain? If it makes everything worse?”

  
“Sarada.” He said quietly. He tapped the skin under his eye. She released her sharingan, not even feeling it’s activation. He sighed. “Some people don’t have a choice.”

* * *

His words plagued her mind for weeks to come. They echoed in her head through every conversation she had with her mother, and she wondered if she just looked hard enough, she’d find answers. Sarada watched her closely, though she wasn’t really sure what she was looking for. One night, as they ate their dinner in silence, her mother broke the suffocating quiet that had been worsening over the past month.

  
“Your father will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night.” Sakura said calmly. Her green eyes locked with Sarada’s, waiting for her response.

  
“Okay.” Sarada mumbled. She stabbed at a tomato with her fork, it’s juices spraying the plate. Sakura’s face scrunched in confusion.

  
“Honey, is something wrong?” She questioned. “Usually when I say that, you nearly explode with excitement.” She gave Sarada a soft smile.

  
“S’not a big deal.” Sarada huffed. Sakura blinked at her in surprise.

  
“Are you upset that he was gone so long? Sarada, you know he’s on a very important mission-“ Sakura started to lecture.

  
“Mama, are you happy?” Sarada interrupted. Her mother was taken aback, shock written on her features.

  
“O-Of course I’m happy, Baby. Why would you ask something like that?” Sakura said, a sliver of nervousness in her tone. Sarada felt like she was going to be sick.

  
“Nevermind. I’m going to bed.” She left before the pink-haired woman could answer. She shut her bedroom door with a slam, still huffing. Burying herself in her sheets, she drifted off to sleep at the sound of her mother arguing with someone on the phone.

  
The next day, dread sat in her stomach like a pit. She was unfocused during training, something her team picked up on but decided to ignore. At least, Konohamaru-sensei and Mitsuki did. Boruto badgered her all day, asking why she was so distracted.

  
After an hour of his pestering, she snapped.

  
“What the hell, Sarada? That shuriken was completely off!” He yelled, finger pointed accusingly at her. Rage bubbled to the surface.

  
“Fuck _off_ , Boruto.” She seethed. The entire team was shocked into silence, including Sarada herself. She slapped a hand over her mouth.

  
“S-Sarada-chan!” Her sensei exclaimed. The disappointment on his face proved too much for her to bear.

  
“I’m going home early today.” She said, shaking slightly, and walked away from the gaping trio.

She barely looked up before she was standing in front of her house, not remembering the journey there. She slid the door open, greeted with the sight of both her parents arguing over the dinner table.

“Sasuke, we can’t keep lying to her-“ Sakura cut herself off when she saw Sarada in the doorway. “S-Sarada! You’re home early.” Sarada nodded robotically. Sasuke straightened and turned to face his daughter. He squinted at her for a second, as if analyzing her. “Your father just returned. He came to say hello before going to the Hokage’s office.”

Sarada held back a scoff. “It’s good to see you, Papa.” His head tilted, hair moving to reveal his rinnegan.

“No hug?” He asked quietly, as if testing her. He raised his arm. Sarada pointedly ignored his gesture and question.

“Will you be here for dinner?” She asked coldly. His arm dropped, hanging limp at his side. His eyebrows dipped into a frown, but he nodded nonetheless. “Good.” She grabbed a dining chair and pulled, the legs scraping the floor loudly. She sat and crossed her arms. “I’ll wait here.”

  
Sakura opened her mouth to scold her daughter, but Sasuke waved her off. “Very well. I’ll return at eight.” He said, his voice emotionless. He left through the still open door, shutting it behind him.

  
Sarada ignored every attempt her mother made to talk to her as the hours ticked by. She sat perfectly still, eyes locked on a photo of the three of them together. She ignored her mother’s complaints, she ignored her ‘Damn Uchihas’ comment, she ignored the plate set in front of her, the food, the feeble attempts at conversation. Sakura sat across from her, guilt eating at her as she ate her food. Sarada still sat there, motionless.

  
“I’m sorry, Sarada.” Her mother said, voice full of pity. She patted her shoulder gently. She took Sarada’s plate, uneaten, and placed it in the fridge. Sakura placed her hands on the countertop and sighed. “Your father is a very busy man.”

  
“What time is it?” Sarada croaked, the first words she had spoken in hours. Her eyes were still locked on the photo, the genuine smiles turning artificial.

  
“Sarada-“ Sakura started. Sarada stood abruptly, finally facing her mother. Tears streamed down her face, eyes red with emotion. Sakura gasped at the sight.

“What time is it?” Sarada asked again, her voice raw. Her mother swallowed hard as she answered:

“Almost ten.” Sarada nodded, sucking in a breath. She barely noticed the chakra pooling in her hand. She just kept nodding, as if it would make it better. She glanced at the clock behind her mother to confirm.

“Damn it!” Sarada screamed, fist colliding with the dinner table. The wood split around her fist like a knife through butter. It shattered to pieces as her mother shouted. Blood rang in her ears, and she panted, but not from exertion.

“Sarada!” Her mother yelled. She looked back and forth from the remnants of her table to her daughter. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“With me?” Sarada reared back. “At least I’m honest with myself!” She regretted the words as they left her mouth, but there was no going back after it was said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sakura said, voice dangerously low. Her fists clenched at her side, and momentarily, Sarada wondered if they would battle. The two of them were breathing heavily now, tension high.

Subconsciously, Sarada reached for the kunai strapped to her thigh. Sakura tracked her movement, releasing her fists. The anger dissipated from her mother’s eyes just as fast as it had appeared, profound sadness taking its place. “There’s a lot you don’t know, Sarada. A lot you don’t understand.” Sakura looked— _her mother_ looked so…dead. The life in her eyes drained, until all that’s left was a husk. “If you think that I am lying to myself, you are sorely mistaken.”

Sarada’s head spun, the words pounding into her. Her mother looked as if she was going to say more, but Sarada spoke before she got the chance. “I’m leaving. I’ll be home later.”

“The hell you are!” Sakura said, voice suddenly alight with fire again. “Where do you think you’re going this late?”

“Out.” Sarada answered simply. She turned toward the door.

“I don’t think so.” Sakura moved to follow her.

“Don’t follow me, Mama.” Sarada was almost out the door, fingers reaching for the handle.

“No, you can’t leave!” Sakura grabbed her arm tightly. “You can’t! Don’t go,” Sarada gripped the door hesitantly. “You can’t leave me here alone,” She opened the door, cool night air a welcome contrast against her heated skin. “Not again,” She tried to tug her arm away from the sobbing woman. “Please, _Sasuke_!” She said frantically. Sarada stared at her, stricken. Her mother’s face contorted, realizing her mistake. She fell to her knees, grip loosened. Sarada tore her arm away and vanished into the night.


End file.
